Door handle assembly

Abstract

A door handle assembly includes a handle pivot housing and a main handle rotatably or otherwise pivotally secured within the handle pivot housing. The handle pivot housing includes handle engaging-walls defining a handle pivot cavity therebetween. At least one of the handle-engaging walls includes an integrally formed boss extending into the handle pivot cavity. The main handle includes an arm integrally formed with a pivot joint defining a pivot axis, and a counterweight. The pivot joint rotatably or otherwise pivotally secures to the boss. The counterweight and the arm are positioned on opposite sides of the pivot axis. The main handle may be configured to receive and retain a plurality of caps, which may be formed of a different material than said main handle. Each of the caps may differ in at least one of size, shape, structure, material, texture, and color.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application relates to and claims priority benefits from U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 680,921 entitled “Vehicle Inside Door Handle,” filed May 13, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to door handles, and more particularly, to a door handle assembly that may be used as a vehicle inside BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Conventional vehicle inside door handles are susceptible to swinging open during a crash or violent maneuver. The heavier a handle is, the further away its center of gravity is from its pivot axis. The further away the center of gravity is from the pivot axis, the easier it is for the door handle to swing open during an impact. As door handles become larger and heavier, the possibility of the door handles swinging open during an impact increases. Thus, a need exists for a door handle that remains closed during an im...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention provide a door handle assembly that may include a handle pivot housing, a main handle, a bumper, and a plurality of caps configured to be interchangeably secured to the main handle. The handle pivot housing includes a bumper wall integrally formed with ha

Problems solved by technology

Conventional vehicle inside door handles are susceptible to swinging open during a crash or violent maneuver.

As door handles become larger and heavier, the possibility of the door handles swinging open during an impact increases.

Separately manufacturing each door handle with different tools increases manufacturing time and costs.

In the past, in-molding door handles was not common practice because the resins necessary for bonding to the inlay were not strong enough with respect to vehicle door handle specifications.

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